Corset



(No Model.) GROTTY.

CORSET.

Patented Oct. 27

N4 PETERS Fhomulhn m her, Washington. D. C.

NITED STATES JOHN S. OROTTY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,368, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed April 20, IP85.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN S. CROTTY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new Improvement in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure l, a side view of one-half the corset; Fig. 2, a transverse section enlarged; Fig. 3, a transverse section showing the knit sections as introduced between the thicknesses of the stay or overlays.

This invention relates to an improvement in corsets, having for its object to give the shape to the body of the wearer, but avoid the discomfort of corsets as generally constructed; and it consists in the construction hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

Knit fabric has a very great elasticity and flexibility transversely, but little or no elasticity longitudinally. It is this class of knit material from which I make the body of the corset. As here represented, this body consists of a rear section, A, side sections, B O, and front section, D. These sections are preferably out from two thicknesses of knit fabric, the direction of the length of the fabric being transverse of the corset, so that around the body the material is non-elastic or non-yielding to any considerable extent. The sections thus out are united by seams, in the usual manner, and, as seen in Fig. 2, the edge of the rear section is introduced between the two thicknesses of the eyelet-strip E, and at the front the edges of the section D are introduced between the two thicknesses of the husk-strip F, and

there secured by vertical lines of stitches. Vertically over the seams by which the several sec tions are j oined overlays of woven fabric are applied. to form stay-pockets G H I. These overlays may be made oftwo thick nesses,as indicated in Fig. 2, and so that the pockets will be formed between such two thicknesses, the two thicknesses stitched to the knit body of the corset, as there indicated. The overlays are unyielding, and, being stitched to the body from top to bottom prevent any material stretching Serial No. 162,742. (No model.)

of the corset vertically; but between the overlays the material is free to yield to the person, and so that the corset readily adapts itself to the form of the person. The stays or overlays give the required support and form.

The corset thus constructed does not require the usual starching and shaping, but, on the contrary, shapes itself when applied to the person. The material of which the body is composed being elastic and yielding vertically, avoids the rigidity or stiffness of the starched corset, permitting it to more readily yield to the movements of the body, and thereby contribute to the comfort of the wearer.

In some cases it is desirable to apply a transverse stay from the eyelet-strip to the busk in front, and this I do by applying a transverse overlay, L. This may be in the shape of a strip of webbing applied to the surface before the overlays G H I and the busk and eyelet strips, and so that the stitches of those several parts, when applied to the body, will pass through the strip L, and thus secure the strip to the body at different points, leaving it free across the open portions of the knit material.

A corset composed of this combined knit material with inelastic overlays enables me to produce a comfortable corset at much less cost than can be done with the usual rigid material where the provision for yielding is made by the introduction of elastic gores and sections.

While I prefer to make the body of the two thicknesses, as shown, a single thickness may in many cases answer the purpose, and instead of uniting the knit sections directly to each other, as thus far described, they may be cut of the required size, and their edges introduced between the thicknesses of the adjacent overlays of stay-sections, as seen in Fig. 3; but I prefer to unite the knit sections directly with each other, to make a continuous knit body, as it is a stronger construction than that last mentioned.

My invention is not to be understood as limited to any particular cut of corset, the illustration which I have made being sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to adapt my invention to the various known cuts.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, a corset made from knit material, as

such I am aware isnot new; but I am not aware that a corset has been made from sections out from knit fabric having the longitudinal line of stitches in a transverse directionthat is, around the Waist-whereby the corset is nonelastic circumferentially, but elastic vertically.

1. A corset the body of which is composed of several sections cut from knit fabric, the longitudinal line of the knitting being transverse of the corset, combined with an eyeletstrip at the rear and a busk-strip at the front, With vertical overlays, the said eyelet and busk strips and the overlays made from woven fabric stitched to the knit fabric, the said overlays forming pockets to receive bones or stays, substantially as dcscribed,and whereby transverse non-elasticity is secured and vertical elasticity is permitted.

JOHN s. CROTTY.

Witnesses:

W. A. ROTHGET, MICHAEL E. CoRBLE 

